Norfolk agency won’t postpone eminent domain trial

The Circuit Court trial between the NRHA and Central Radio Co. Inc., an electronics company on West 39th Street, is scheduled to start Monday.

Four area companies are challenging how the agency handled redevelopment near Old Dominion University. Central Radio, a vocal opponent of the NRHA, made headlines for posting a banner accusing the agency of “eminent domain abuse.” It is joined in the fight by Pecil, PKO Ventures and Norva Plastics.

Steve Emmert, the appellate attorney for the four companies, said Tuesday that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case against PKO. If justices rule in favor of PKO, it would make Central Radio’s trial unnecessary. All four companies are making the same argument and would be covered under the same ruling, Emmert said.

Assuming this would be the case, Emmert last week requested that the NRHA postpone the pending trial.

“I recognize that the litigants in this upcoming trial will spend many tens of thousands of dollars in trial expenses,” Emmert wrote in a letter to NRHA attorney Donald Schultz. “I ask that we avoid what might prove to be an unnecessary trial. If the pending appeals are affirmed, then you can move forward with your acquisition; if they are reversed, you will have saved considerable money.”

Schultz responded Feb. 18 with a two-sentence letter that stated, “The Authority does not agree to further postponement of the trial…”

Asked Tuesday about the chance for a Supreme Court trial on the issue, Schultz declined to comment. Ed Ware, NRHA spokesman, also declined to comment.